Houseplant · Araceae
Alocasia 'Polly'
Alocasia × amazonica 'Polly'
Offer it warmth, humidity, and bright indirect light, and the African mask plant thanks you with bold arrowhead leaves.
Bright indirect
USDA 10–12
1–4 ft · 0.3–1.2 m
Overview
Often labeled the African mask plant, Alocasia 'Polly' earns its place for its leaves, not any bloom. Each leaf forms a glossy arrowhead in deep bronze-green, finished with a gentle wavy edge and traced by thick white veins that almost look hand-painted. Because it keeps to about 2 feet tall, it sits happily in a bright corner or on a shelf, and you will find it easier to place than you might expect.
A member of the Araceae family, this indoor-bred hybrid feels most at home in the warm, humid, bright conditions its tropical parents loved. That does ask a bit more of you than your average houseplant, but nothing beyond reach. It likes steady moisture without ever standing in water, air a touch damper than most rooms, and warmth all year, so choosing the right spot first will set you both up to succeed.
The part that catches new growers off guard is its winter rest. As the light fades, your Polly slips into a semi-dormant spell and can let go of nearly every leaf, looking for all the world like it is gone for good. It isn't. Ease back on the watering, keep it warm, and it will send up new leaves as spring comes round, so there really is no need to panic.
Care
The short version: give it bright indirect light, soil that stays evenly moist yet never soggy, steady warmth above 60°F (15.6°C) the whole year, and air a little more humid than most rooms. Through winter, simply water less while it takes its rest.
Light
Settle it in bright, indirect light, like the glow near an east window or a step back from a sunnier one. It happily takes a little partial shade or soft sun, though harsh direct rays will scorch the leaves and deep shade leaves it pale and stretched.
Water
Through the growing season, aim to keep the soil evenly moist but never soggy, letting the top dry just slightly before the next drink. Pull right back in winter while it rests, because the surest way to lose this plant is to let it sit wet, which rots both roots and stem.
Soil
Pot it up in rich, loamy soil that holds a little moisture yet still drains freely, with plenty of organic matter mixed through. It is easygoing about acidity, happy anywhere from pH 5.5 to 7.5, though it will never tolerate a mix that stays waterlogged.
Temperature
Warmth counts all year long. Keep it above 60°F (15.6°C) and clear of cold drafts and chilly panes. Once temperatures dip below about 50°F (10°C), it slides into early dormancy and can take damage.
Humidity
This high-humidity tropical reacts to dry indoor air with brown, crispy leaf edges, so think of moisture as kindness. Lift the humidity around it with a humidifier, a pebble tray, or a little huddle of plants, and keep it away from heating vents.
Feeding
Offer a balanced houseplant fertilizer across spring and summer while it is putting on growth. Hold off completely through winter, when it rests and has no use for it, and you will avoid overdoing things.
Pruning
Snip off any yellowed, damaged, or spent leaves right at the base as soon as you notice them. As winter approaches indoors, you can cut it back to just the top one or two leaves while it eases into dormancy.
Repotting
Move it to a fresh pot every 1 to 2 years, or sooner if roots wind around the pot, offsets crowd the top, or the soil dries out faster than usual. Keep it potted all year rather than lifting and storing it as a bare corm.
Overwintering
Bring it indoors before the first fall frost and expect it to slip into a semi-dormant spell, often shedding leaves. Keep it on the drier side, trim back to a leaf or two, and start watering and feeding once more when growth picks up in spring.
Size & spacing
Kept indoors it stays neat, standing 1 to 4 feet (30 to 120 cm) tall with a spread of 12 to 24 inches (30 to 60 cm). Leave it a little breathing room so it can hold its leaves out without bumping a shelf or its neighbors.
Troubleshooting
Almost every hiccup with this plant comes down to water, dry air, or a pest dropping by, and each one is easy to turn around. Glance over the leaves and the base of the stem, since they will tell you early whether you are watering too much, the air has gone too dry, or a bug has moved in. Find the picture below that matches yours and step in gently before it grows.
Wilting leaves and a soft, mushy stem base
This points to root and stem rot, and the good news is it is fixable if you act now. It nearly always comes from a little too much water or soil that holds onto it, which turns once white, firm roots brown and slippery while the stem base goes soft. Set the watering can aside, slip the plant from its pot, snip off every rotted root, and settle it into fresh, free-draining mix in a pot that has a drainage hole.
Fix:
- Stop watering and allow the soil to dry appropriately
- Remove the plant, cut away rotted roots/tissue, and repot into fresh, well-drained mix
- Ensure the pot has drainage and discard standing water
Speckled or webbed leaves and sticky or cottony patches
Little sap-sucking pests are visiting, and they are easy enough to clear once you spot them. Fine webbing with pale flecks usually means spider mites, which thrive when the air turns dry; fluffy white tufts tucked into the leaf joints are mealybugs, while soft insects clustered together and leaving a sticky coating are aphids. Give the leaves a good rinse, wipe the pests away, follow up with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, and keep this plant by itself until every last one is gone.
Fix:
- Rinse foliage and wipe off pests
- Treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, repeating as needed
- Isolate affected plants to limit spread
Leaves dropping as the days get shorter
Take heart, because this is winter semi-dormancy rather than a dying plant. When the room cools and light grows scarce, your Polly simply rests and lets its leaves go, yet the rhizome beneath the soil stays plump and alive. Water it less, trim down to a leaf or two, keep it cozy and bright, and you will see fresh shoots arrive once spring warmth and regular watering come back around.
Fix:
- Reduce watering and keep the plant on the drier side while semi-dormant
- Cut back all but the top one or two leaves
- Keep in a warm, bright location and avoid cold drafts
- Resume regular watering and fertilizing when growth resumes in spring
Brown, crispy edges while the leaf center stays green
Dry air is almost always to blame, because your Polly is a high-humidity tropical that struggles in a parched room. You will notice it most beside a heat vent or through winter, once indoor air loses its moisture. Don't worry, it bounces back: add humidity with a humidifier, a pebble tray, or a few plants kept close together, keep the soil nicely moist, and shift it clear of drafts and radiators.
Fix:
- Raise ambient humidity (group plants, use a humidifier or pebble tray)
- Keep soil evenly moist during active growth
- Move away from heating vents and cold drafts
Toxicity
This is a truly toxic plant, so it pays to be careful with it. Every part carries insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, tiny sharp needles that sting the mouth and throat as soon as they are chewed, and the sap can leave bare skin irritated. Keep it safely away from pets, livestock, and children, and give your hands a wash once you have handled it.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Moderate
Should a cat take a bite, the calcium oxalate crystals sting its mouth right away. You can look for a lot of drooling, pawing at the muzzle, vomiting, and a hard time swallowing.
Dogs Moderate
A dog that chews any part feels sharp mouth pain, drools, and may be sick almost straight away. Swelling around the lips, tongue, and mouth can follow and make it tough to swallow.
Horses Moderate
Those same crystals sting a horse's mouth and throat, so it drools and its lips and tongue grow sore and puffy. Since horses cannot be sick, the ache simply lingers until it eases on its own.
Rabbits Toxic
For a rabbit, the crystals turn these leaves into a painful mouthful, bringing on sore gums, drooling, and a reluctance to eat. It is kindest to keep the plant well beyond their reach.
Livestock Toxic
When cattle, goats, or sheep graze on the foliage, they get a stinging mouth, plenty of drool, and a swollen, tender tongue. The soreness tends to leave them off their feed.
Birds Toxic
A nosy bird that pecks the leaves runs into the very same prickly crystals, with a sore mouth and drooling the likely outcome. Better to keep birds away from it altogether.
People Caution
None of this plant should ever be eaten, since a bite brings a fierce sting to the mouth and throat. Even the sap can leave skin red and itchy, so rinse your hands once you have handled it and keep it clear of little ones.
All parts contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals; sap can cause contact dermatitis. Wash hands after handling and keep away from pets and children
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
The plant sold as 'Polly' is a single cultivar of one hybrid, and now and then you will meet a close cousin sharing the same parentage. Here are the names worth keeping in mind.
Alocasia × amazonica 'Polly'
This is the small, easygoing one you will see most often, growing to roughly 2 feet tall, with leathery arrowhead leaves of dark bronze-green, rippled at the edge and threaded by bold white to silver veins.
Alocasia × amazonica 'Boa'
Another named form of the very same hybrid, noted in the Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder right beside 'Polly'.
How to propagate
There is no need to fuss with seed at home for this one. The simplest path is to split the plant up, making the most of the pups it gathers around its base, which is easiest while you repot it in the warmer months.
DivisionModerate
Spring to summer, at repotting · Several weeks
The friendliest way to get more plants is to divide your Polly while you repot it in spring or summer. It grows from a rhizome and sends up little pups around the base, so gently ease the clump apart and pot each section with roots of its own. Be patient and give the new divisions several weeks of warmth and even moisture to settle before fresh growth shows up.
Offsets & pupsModerate
Spring to summer · Several weeks
You can just as easily ease a rooted offset away from the parent in spring or summer and grow it in its own pot. Each pup takes several weeks to root and find its footing, so keep it warm and gently moist while it settles, and it will reward your patience.
Myths
A leafless Alocasia 'Polly' that has dropped its foliage over winter is dead.
Rest easy here, because shedding most or all of its leaves through winter is just how this plant takes its seasonal rest. Before you part with it, slide the rootball out and feel the rhizome. A firm rhizome means fresh leaves are on the way once warmth and watering return in spring.